Abstract
Conventional management and verification of academic credentials still face limitations regarding document processing and verification workflows. This research aims to design and develop a Web3-based student graduation badge system utilizing non-transferable Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)—specifically Soulbound Tokens (SBTs)—via smart contracts on the Ethereum Sepolia Testnet. The system was developed using the Waterfall model, encompassing requirements analysis, system design, implementation, and testing. Smart contracts were developed using Solidity and Hardhat, incorporating modifications to the ERC-721 standard to restrict token transfers, while the web-based interface was built using React.js and integrated with the blockchain via Ethers.js. Badge metadata is stored using the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS). Functional testing results demonstrate that all nine test scenarios were successfully executed, yielding the expected outcomes. The system supports mass badge issuance via `mintBatch`, prevents token transfers, enables validity revocation and restoration through `softRevokeBatch` and `hardRevokeBatch`, and facilitates credential verification via a public webpage. These results indicate that SBTs serve as a viable alternative for managing digital graduation badges by providing a blockchain-based mechanism for credential issuance, management, and verification.
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